


War of Hearts

by courtneywoods



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Angst and Porn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bondage, Dominance, Endgame Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, F/F, Happy Ending, Lesbian Sex, Light BDSM, Magic, Mutual Pining, Portals, Potions, Princess Emma Swan, Prisoner Emma, Rope Bondage, Season 3 Finale, Smut, Submission, Swan Queen Supernova (Once Upon a Time), SwanQueen Supernova, Time Travel, Top Evil Queen | Regina Mills, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-08-20 18:08:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20232124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/courtneywoods/pseuds/courtneywoods
Summary: When the time portal opens, only Emma is pulled back to the Enchanted Forest 30 years in the past. Desperate to get back home, she ends up at King Midas's ball where a chance encounter with the Evil Queen lands her in the queen's bedroom for a night neither of them could ever forget. But when she returns to Storybrooke, and nothing has changed, Emma and Regina soon realize that they have to fight for the happy ending they now know they were supposed to have – together.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [[Art] War of Hearts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20382079) by [Sarconistia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarconistia/pseuds/Sarconistia). 

> Some quick thanks are in order: a tremendous thank you to everyone who served as a beta or just another set of eyes prior to release in order to make this story the best it could be. Thank you to CJ for creating a truly magical work of art to accompany my story. Lastly, thank you to Swen for always keeping SwanQueen alive and continuing to motivate me to write about our favorite mayor and sheriff, blonde and brunette, queen and her savior.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Find me on Twitter @courtneyhope_

“We have a problem,” David announced as he pushed open the door to Granny’s diner.

Just as Emma opened her mouth to ask for clarification, she spotted it: the ray of light that was shooting out from the ground on the other end of town, beaming into the sky like a spotlight. Only, this spotlight wasn’t advertising a new club opening – it was glowing an angry shade of orange, and staring at it for too long threatened to burn her corneas.

“What in the —”

“I thought that with Zelena taken care of, we'd get at least five minutes of peace in this town,” David laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, using his easy charm and laughter to ease the tension among the patrons of the diner, who were all crowding around the windows and peering out at the latest spectacle.

“It seems Zelena couldn't resist leaving behind a token for us all to remember her by before departing Storybrooke,” Rumple chimed in. The sound of his cane hitting the ground startled Emma out of her trance.

She turned away from the glowing light and straightened her shoulders.

“I've got this,” she declared, pushing open the door and sprinting in the direction of the other side of town.

“Don't let her handle this alone, David. Go with her!” Snow cried. He gave a firm nod and headed out in the same direction Emma had disappeared toward.

David turned to take a left off of Main Street, but his daughter was already out of sight. He tugged his phone out of his front pocket and dialed Emma's number, but the dial tone just echoed in his ear before sending him to her voicemail.

Far ahead, Emma approached the barn slowly. It looked like the light source was coming from inside, and she was suddenly reluctant to step toward it.

The moment the barn doors crashed open, she realized she should have called for backup. She reached behind her to grip the cell phone from her back pocket, but felt a sudden pull on her ankles before she could dial a number.

Her phone hit the dirt floor at almost exactly the same moment she did. Its screen illuminated just as the weight of her body was violently yanked forward and down.

****

The impact of her body crashing to the forest floor echoed off of the surrounding trees. She stood up quickly. Taking in her surroundings, she watched the sunlight creeping through the branches and illuminating the greenery surrounding her.

“Where the hell am I?” She groaned, brushing the clumps of dirt off of the back of her jeans. She glanced around again, surveying the area, taking a few steps in each direction before realizing it just looked like any ordinary forest.

The sudden sound of rustling branches in the distance caused her to snap upright.

A dark carriage was approaching, and Emma quickly jumped behind the nearest bush to keep herself hidden from sight.

_“Why are we stopping?”_

The alarmingly cold yet soothingly familiar voice sent a chill down Emma's spine. She found herself pressing her lips together to suppress a soft gasp as she peered up through the branches, not daring to look away as the carriage door swung open.

“I'm sorry, your majesty. A tree has fallen, and we wanted to ensure it didn't do any damage to your carriage.”

“Regina,” Emma whispered to herself, her mouth now fully gaping.

But it wasn't Regina standing just a few feet in the distance. Long dark hair tumbled down to the small of her back, and the corset she was wearing was laced tightly, accentuating her already perfect figure.

From her spot in the bushes, Emma was able to make out the dark, smoky rim of eyeliner and aggressively purple lipstick adorning her features. All at once, the gears in her head clicked into place.

The Evil Queen huffed and rolled her eyes, impatiently observing as two of her guards pushed the fallen tree off the path. When she seemed satisfied that they were finished and ready to continue on their journey, she turned on her heels and ducked back inside her carriage. Emma finally let out the breath she’d been holding since the moment she had laid eyes on Regina’s carriage.

While the Evil Queen looked harder, colder, and more lavish and regal than the Regina she knew, there was no visible difference in appearance that would lead Emma to believe she was any younger than Regina was in present-day Storybrooke.

As soon as the carriage was out of sight, Emma sat down on a thick log and rested her chin against the palm of her hand. She thought back to what she’d read in Henry’s book, and eventually deduced that the portal had taken her back no more than 30 years ago – to a time when Regina was about to cast the curse, but it wasn’t in action quite yet.

With the flick of her wrist, Emma tried to ignite a flame using her magic, curious to see whether her powers would work the same way here as they did in Storybrooke. She remembered Regina mentioning that magic worked differently in different realms.

When nothing happened, she groaned.

"Great, just great.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before a terrifying laugh that she knew would haunt her nightmares startled her out of her deep thought. She jumped up from the log and turned, ready to take a swing at anyone or anything trying to put her in danger.

When she saw who was waiting for her, she choked.

“Gold?” Emma asked, eyeing up the man in front of her and trying her best to take it all in. He certainly looked different from the Mr. Gold back in Storybrooke.

“No gold here, dearie. Might I introduce myself? Rumplestiltskin,” he said with immense elaboration on the rolling R as he bowed to her. “And you are?”

“In big trouble,” Emma replied vaguely. “Look, Gold — Rumplestiltskin. I need your help.”

The imp began to giggle. Emma thought she saw him hop up and down with joy as his laughter rolled off his tongue.

“You need _my_ help?” He began, dramatically placing a scaly hand over his chest. “Oh dear, oh dear, my my my, do I love that. What exactly did you have in mind, dearie?”

“This is going to sound ridiculous, but I'm not... I'm not from here.”

“Well, that much I gathered,” he stated. “Red leather isn't exactly all the rage in this neck of the woods. So, would you like to tell me where you're from or shall we make this a riddle?” He began to laugh again, bouncing on his heels.

“No. No riddles. I told you – I need help,” Emma paused. “I’m from the future.”

“That's impossible, dearie. Not a single person who wields magic has mastered time travel, not even me.”

“Well, trust me, it's been done. I need to find a portal that will take me back to the future.”

“Portals can’t just be conjured up at will. Certainly, if you’re from the future, you must know that.”

“Yes, but… if I'm here,” she paused again, trying to work this all out inside her head. “Then that means I'm at risk of altering history and I'm putting everyone in danger.”

Rumple raised an eyebrow, studying her inquisitively. “And tell me again why I should believe a word from a mere stranger clad in faux leather?”

“Because if I don't get back, or if I alter anything in this existing storyline, my son will have never been born — and you'll need him to break your curse in your effort to reunite with your son.”

All the radiant color drained from the imp’s grainy skin. He reached forward and grabbed ahold of Emma’s jacket collar. “What do you know about my son?”

“I know you're trying to enact a curse in hopes of reuniting with him.” Her voice suddenly sounded smug, like she knew this was going to work. “I'm the one who breaks the curse so you can find him. I'm the product of true love.”

“But I haven’t… I haven't done it yet,” he sputtered.

“You will. And you'll succeed. But I need your help.”

“Help?” Rumple laughed once again. “If you're really from the future,” he paused to take a step closer, “answer me one question: do I find my son?”

Emma’s hesitation and downward gaze only delayed her response for a brief moment as she thought of how to properly answer the question, but Rumple quickly lost patience.

“Answer me!” Rumple commanded.

“Yes,” she replied, trying to hide the remorse from her voice. “You do.”

“_Baelfire_,” Rumple whispered, releasing his grasp on Emma, his eyes seemingly glazing over in what appeared to be a trance as a soft, contended smile crept across his lips.

After a few moments of silence, Rumple spoke again, a realization illuminating his face that looked both wicked and hopeful. “King Midas’s ball.”

“What? A ball? You’re kidding.”

He opened his hand and conjured a piece of paper, extending his arm to hand Emma the invitation with golden, embossed letters.

She studied the invitation. “How will going to a ball at King Midas’s castle help me open a portal back to the future?”

“If you are who you _say_ you are — the product of true love — then something tells me you'll figure it out, dearie. But first…”

Emma was engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. When it cleared, she was outside of a castle with her hand clutching the invitation.

She looked down and realized her red leather jacket, jeans, and boots were gone, and in their place a red ball gown was flowing down over her body. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant updo and a dainty tiara rested on the crown of her head.

She shrugged and tried her best to act natural as she walked up to the guards and handed them the invitation. Nobody even asked for her name as she entered, and she blended in quickly with the crowd milling inside the ballroom.

She did a sweep of her surroundings, intimidated by the couples who were already on the floor dancing. She pivoted to look around the other side of the room. That’s when she spotted them: an unamused Kathryn mid-yawn and, standing at her side, Emma’s father, clad in his best dress attire.

“Shit,” Emma muttered under her breath, knowing she couldn't allow her dad to see her.

She shuffled backward in the direction of the doors she entered through only moments earlier, clumsily trying to make her exit as discreet as possible. Instead, she found herself colliding with a black knight.

Out of instinct, she raised her arm and took a swing in attempt to hit him, hoping she’d get past him with ease and flee, far from the castle. But the impact of her fist crashing into his armor took her by surprise and he shoved her off quickly, causing Emma to crash into someone else in the process.

“Going somewhere, dear?”

Emma’s gaze fell downward then slowly crept back up. Her breath hitched as she drank in the sight of the Evil Queen clad in her ballgown, the crown on her head locked in place with an extravagant hairdo that still allowed her long, dark hair to drape down her back.

“Regina,” she stammered. “I—”

“That's a **bit** informal, wouldn't you say?” The Evil Queen snapped, her voice cold enough to lock Emma in place all by itself if there weren’t already two guards approaching her and grabbing ahold of each arm. “Show some respect. It’s ‘your majesty’.”

Emma struggled under the guards’ tight hold, even though something told her that fighting them wouldn’t end well for her.

“You nearly took out one of my guards in your pathetic attempt to run from me,” the queen continued. “Were you that afraid of me that the mere thought of my presence had you fleeing for the exit?”

Emma didn’t say a word — she just struggled once more under the vice-like grip of the guards. Her gaze automatically darted toward the door.

“Ah, ah. You're not going anywhere,” The queen declared. She paused for a moment, stopping to properly take in the sight of the blonde wriggling before her.

Emma thought for a moment that Regina was going to either kiss her or kill her right then. She was looking at her with pure hunger in her eyes, taking in every inch of her body as if she were stripping the layers of the red gown off of her.

When her gaze lingered on Emma's chest, Emma's eyes went wide. She could've sworn she saw Regina lick her lips.

“In fact,” Regina mused. “I suspect your night has just begun.”

The sudden heat that began boiling like lava in her core sent her into a whole new level of shock and all she could do was stare back at the Evil Queen, only realizing how intense and mesmerizing the pantsuit-clad mayor back home could truly be.

Suddenly, her pulse was quickening, and words refused to form in her mind.

“Take her away!”


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as the carriage doors slammed shut, Emma began tugging at the shackles fastened around her wrists.

She could try to make a run for it, but between the cuffs and the fact that she was sandwiched between two of the queen's guards, any effort to escape seemed futile. She felt a wave of hopelessness crash over her.

_Just relax_, she thought to herself. _It's only Regina. She would never actually kill you_. She tried her best to reassure herself and calm her racing mind.

But it wasn't the thought of death that horrified her – rather, it was the knowledge that if she were to be executed tonight, Henry would never be born. The curse would never be broken. All of her family would be in danger – including Regina.

_Get ahold of yourself, Swan. You're sitting here worrying about Regina, when she's right in front of you causing all of this._

An internal battle broke out in her mind. Part of her despised the woman on the other side of the carriage, who was smirking at her like she was nothing more than a shiny new toy to play with. But the other part was genuinely concerned for the Regina she knew back in Storybrooke and the effect this entire night could have on her… and she wasn’t sure why.

_She won't kill me. I know her. I trust her. She's just Regina._

But that woman _wasn’t_ Regina, with the elaborate dark hair interweaving around her crown. Every few moments, Emma dared to steal a glance in her direction — still in awe of how strikingly different she looked from the Regina she knew, yet still so familiar.

_How the hell was this supposed to help me get home?_ She pondered, cursing Rumple and this entire plan. She should've known better than to trust that selfish imp. _He probably didn't even believe my story and knew to toss me to the sharks as a ploy to get rid of an obstacle standing in the way of him reuniting with Neal._

Her mind wandered again, thinking of how she’d never meet Neal if tonight turned out the way she was expecting it to. How she'd never end up pregnant with Henry. How the boy would never show up at her front door 10 years later and bring her home.

**_Home_**. The word lingered in her mind, floating like a thick cloud.

As thoughts of Storybrooke consumed her, she felt the carriage yield to a sudden halt and her body was hurled backward. Before anyone could speak a word, the Evil Queen nodded to the two guards, offering them some unspoken signal that Emma didn’t understand.

Emma felt the pressure of both men interlacing an arm around her, rendering her motionless, before they dragged her out of the carriage car and toward the castle grounds.

The Evil Queen pivoted, the train of her dress following suit, as she began to strut toward the castle’s main entrance. Emma couldn’t help but keep her eyes glued to her the entire time.

When they stepped inside, the guards instinctively took a sharp right, tugging Emma along down a dark corridor.

“Where do you think you're taking her, exactly?” The disapproving sharp tone of the queen’s voice rang through the corridor, halting everyone in their tracks.

One of the guards, whose face was completely covered so Emma couldn't get a read on his reaction, opened his mouth to answer. “To the… dungeons, your majesty?”

Before he could muster up another word, Regina lifted her arm and twisted her hand. Emma heard a snapping sound and felt the heavy weight of the guard’s body crumble to the floor beside her.

Emma felt her face go pale, her heart pounding violently in her chest when she realized what she had just witnessed. She was now certain of what impending fate was upon her.

“Take her to my bed chambers,” the queen instructed, a devilish smirk gleaming across her face.

Just like that, Emma felt her ashen skin turned burning red, just as an unfamiliar heat rose in her abdomen.

Regina was still smirking at her. “I have… _other_ plans for you tonight, dear.”

The guard followed the queen down the long hallway. When they finally reached the bedroom, Emma took a moment to absorb it.

The room reminded her of the Regina she knew, but with a regal and more eerie touch – dark, silky linens, a shade of deep burgundy lining the walls, gold trimmings on furniture, and ornate details that she thought were a little too over the top for the Regina she knew.

When the guard exited the room and left Emma alone with the queen, a sudden wave of contentedness fell over her. Despite everything, she felt her shoulders relax.

For the first time since she was sucked back in time through the portal, she was alone with someone who somehow felt safe and familiar to her — despite the lingering fear still boiling up inside her stomach that was making her hands clammy.

“Now, dear,” Regina began, her voice husky in a way that made Emma’s core ache. “You're probably wondering why I've brought you here tonight instead of leaving you down in the dungeon.”

Emma didn't reply – she just nodded once and kept her eyes locked on the brunette who was towering over her. Back home, Regina was even smaller than she was, but here — with the added height from her heels and from something else that simply felt like raw power — she loomed over Emma like a shadow.

Thoughts began to race through Emma’s head once more as she watched the queen take three steps closer, backing Emma against the wall and eliminating almost all the space between them.

She could feel the heat radiating off her body as Regina reached out and placed a delicate and precise hand on Emma’s neck, trailing one finger up and down in a manner that was both soothing yet terrifying. She felt her breath hitch with each stroke.

“I couldn't let a pretty little thing like you be thrown in my dungeon for execution without us properly enjoying our time together. But first, I need to evaluate the level of risk you impose.”

Her regal voice was intimidating. The soft stroking on Emma’s neck continued for a moment, but then her fingers slowly trailed down to her exposed collarbone, where she began tracing them back and forth in a way that was unnerving.

Emma only realized at that moment that she was staring at Regina’s mouth. She couldn’t help but watch the way her red lips parted, and her tongue quickly peeked out to wet them.

With the flick of her wrist, the queen managed to have Emma’s wrists bound by a set of steel cuffs that were fastened to the wall above her. She peered down and realized her legs were bound and spread. She was completely trapped.

A whole new wave of fear came over her, but simultaneously, she was pummeled by immeasurable desire and exhilaration. Her body suddenly ached with the need to be touched.

“Now,” she began, leaning closer. “Let's start by you telling me your name.”

Emma swallowed, quickly remembering that Regina could usually tell when she was lying. She had hoped it would be different with the Evil Queen.

“It’s Leia,” she managed to say, her voice sounding foreign and shakier than she had ever heard it before.

“Leia,” the queen echoed back to her. Emma only nodded.

“Leia?” Regina said out loud again, but this time her voice was different. She sounded more frustrated than amused.

Emma opened her mouth to reply, but she bit her tongue when she realized how trepidatious she’d sound — she’d surely end up stuttering.

The queen’s arm shot out and grabbed hold of Emma’s jaw. Emma let out a shriek.

With a tight grip on Emma's jaw, Regina reached up with the other hand. Emma squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself. But when she felt a soothing sensation on her scalp, she opened her eyes, realizing Regina had unfastened the pin that was holding Emma’s blonde hair back in an elaborate up-do.

“I won't tolerate liars, dear. Leia is certainly not your name,” she said coolly. “Care to try again? Don't lie to me twice.”

Emma’s pulse raced, and she could hear the sound of her heartbeat thrashing in her ears.

“Emma,” she began. “Princess Emma.” The confession tumbled out of her mouth as if she had choked on them on their way out.

As soon as she muttered her real name, panic coursed through Emma’s head like a tsunami – fear that Regina’s knowledge of her name would impact them in their present state and alter everything. But hell, if she got out of this night alive, then Regina remembering her name was the least of her worries.

“Em-ma.” It wasn't a question, or a statement, even. The way the queen echoed back Emma’s name like she was tasting it on her tongue and drinking it in made Emma’s entire body quiver in the most delicious way. She forced herself to swallow and re-wet her lips with her tongue.

“Tell me, Emma,” Regina began, her eyes averting down to Emma’s décolletage, lingering on the roundness of her breasts that threatened to pop out from her dress. “Where are you from? Surely, if you're a royal, I'd know about you. Especially since I'd never forget a pretty face like yours.” The pad of her thumb swept over Emma’s cheekbone, and Emma felt her insides do a somersault.

With the only rational thought she could summon in her current state of arousal, she quickly decided to be as truthful as possible: if the queen sensed a lie, she would end their night right then and there. _Selective truths_, she thought.

“This is going to sound ridiculous,” she paused, still trying to get past the overwhelming sensation of Regina’s dark eyes, watching her like she had found her next meal. “But I'm from another realm. A portal took me here,” she explained, deciding to conveniently leave out the part about the time travel. That little nugget would certainly land her on a path straight to the dungeon.

“I'm a princess in my land,” she added, not daring to mention that she was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. _That_ part would land her on a path straight to immediate, slow and painful execution at the hands of the Evil Queen herself.

“A princess from another realm, hmm?”

Emma nodded once.

“And a portal brought you here?” The queen arched an eyebrow. “What are your means for returning home?”

“I — I haven't figured that part out yet.”

“Well, well. Looks like you're in quite a predicament. But since you're of no threat to me, I'm going to take my time with you tonight, my sweet Princess Emma.”

Hearing those words come out of Regina’s mouth had an effect on Emma that she hadn’t known her body was capable of producing. The muscles in her core ached and, with her wrists bound in a way that was enthralling and paralyzing at the same time, she felt a hot pool of arousal making its way down her inner thigh.

The feeling only amplified when Regina reached out to take hold of one of Emma’s delicately-woven blonde curls, tousling it in amusement before tucking the stray hair behind her ear in a way that sent an icy shiver of pleasure down her spine.

The queen leaned in until her mouth was dangerously close to Emma’s ear. The sensation of hot breath against her exposed skin made her nerves spark.

“Can you be a good princess, or will I have to keep you tied up like this all night?”

“Fuck,” Emma muttered breathlessly, unable to hold back.

“That doesn’t answer my question, dear,” the queen whispered once more before pressing her lips into the dip beneath Emma’s ear. At once, Emma’s skin felt like it was on fire. She didn’t think she’d ever be capable of forming a proper sentence ever again.

As the queen's kisses on her neck transitioned into a combination of sucking and the occasional bite that made Emma cry out, Emma couldn’t help but throw her head to one side to give her better access. A low groan escaped her parted lips.

She’d never deny that she didn’t spend countless hours – hell, days even – back in Storybrooke fantasizing about herself and the mayor ending up with their lips pressed together and their hands exploring each other’s bodies, but never in a million years did she think she’d wind up in the Enchanted Forest, in the Evil Queen's castle, with Regina’s mouth on her while she was restrained like this.

“Regina, God,” Emma moaned.

All of a sudden, she felt a tight grip around her throat. Her eyes darted up to look at the dark orbs glaring down at her, and suddenly Emma understood that the expression _if looks could kill_ came to life when it came to the Evil Queen.

“Your majesty,” the queen corrected her, not posing it as a question but as a threat. Emma tried to nod and swallow in spite of the hand wrapped around her throat.

“Your— yes, your majesty.”

Regina took one step back then reached a hand around Emma’s waist, pulling her closer. Emma felt the tug on her wrists as the cuffs held her back. The sound of the fastening on her red dress slowly coming undone forced her to snap her gaze up to the queen. The smirk on her lips made Emma’s insides melt, and she felt her whole body quiver in anticipation.

The steel cuffs stopped Regina from being able to rip the dress off herself, so instead she waved a hand and watched smugly as it vanished from between them.

Emma couldn’t even think about the fact that she was suddenly naked — instead, her gaze had shifted down to admire the elaborate cleavage pouring out of the dress Regina was still wearing. The black lace and the deep plunging neckline mesmerized her, and all she could think about was the fact that she might get to finally see the chest she’d been longing to lay eyes on properly for the past few years.

The echo of Regina's deep laughter filled the air. Emma looked up at her in confusion, not realizing she had fallen into a daze.

“I can tell you’re eager to see me without this gown obstructing your view,” she said mockingly.

Emma licked her lips, nodding quickly. “Yes, your majesty.”

With the flick of her wrist, a purple haze filled the air. Once it had dissipated, Regina was completely naked for Emma to finally see.

Emma choked out a muffled moan that almost sounded like a sob, and Regina eyed her, curiously.

“Please, untie me,” Emma begged. She wasn’t sure she’d ever begged before in her life. “I need to touch you.”

“Oh, is that so? But how will I know you’ll be a good girl for me and follow orders?”

“Please, Reg- your majesty. I’ll do anything you ask.”

“Be careful what you wish for, darling,” Regina flicked her wrist once more, and Emma’s hands fell free to her sides. Before she could reach out and touch her, though, Regina stepped forward and grabbed ahold of her wrists, one with each hand.

“On your knees,” she commanded. “You may touch me, but only if you show me what a good princess you are.”

Emma swore that every time Regina called her ‘princess', she felt herself getting wetter and more entranced. Regina hadn’t even touched her properly, and yet she could already feel the wetness dripping down her thighs. She knew her entire cunt would be coated if she were to slip her hand between her legs.

“I’ll be good,” she said firmly. “I need you.”

Before Emma could finish speaking, she felt the queen's hands on her shoulders, pushing her down onto the cold floor. Emma dully knelt and then looked up at Regina, waiting for permission to touch her.

“Show me, princess. How badly do you need me?”

Emma took this as all the permission she needed, and she reached out and grabbed onto Regina’s hips, causing the brunette to stumble a few inches closer so that her cunt was on full display in line with Emma’s mouth.

Emma couldn’t help but lick her lips and groan at the sight of it as she saw that Regina was soaked from her own arousal as well.

She slipped one finger between her legs, taking her time as she dragged her one long index finger up and down over the queen's soaked folds.

Regina threw her head back as the sensation forced her to lose control of her inhibitions momentarily. “God,” she moaned, her voice husky and still as dignified as ever.

When Emma pushed two fingers inside of her, Regina’s breath hitched in her throat. Emma couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in her chest to accompany the arousal that was somehow still escalating.

The queen reached down, grabbing hold of Emma’s tangled blonde curls and using them to guide her mouth to the spot where she needed it most.

As soon as Emma’s tongue dragged over Regina’s clit, both women let out a loud moan of approval. Emma pulled her head back — only for a moment — to say, “I could taste you all day, your majesty.”

Regina grabbed the back of her head and forced her mouth back onto her hypersensitive clit, moaning again as Emma’s tongue flattened over the bundle of nerves. At the same moment, Emma pushed a third finger inside of the queen.

The pressure of Emma’s tongue and the pace of her fingers plunging deeply in and out of her cunt were overwhelming, and already Regina felt her orgasm start to build inside her. She grabbed tighter onto the back of Emma’s head, almost as if she were afraid she might stop, but Emma had no intention of doing anything of the sort.

Instead, Emma dared to add a fourth finger, which elicited a loud cry of pleasure from Regina’s mouth among her endless loud moans. Her hips bucked forward, and her knees began to tremble.

Emma wrapped her free hand around Regina’s petite frame, steadying her a bit as her orgasm washed over her. As she came, Emma’s gaze flickered up to watch her fall apart. She quickly realized it was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

The queen came down from her high quickly, the need to regain control washing back over her. As she yanked Emma up to her feet with an eager tug, Emma’s gaze locked onto her smudged red lips. She’d never wanted to kiss them so badly.

“May I kiss you?” she dared to ask.

Instead of answering, the queen just laughed, and Emma groaned softly.

“You’re quite talented with that mouth, princess,” Regina complimented, and Emma felt her cheeks burn red. “But now I have the rest of our evening together to properly ravish you.”

Emma felt herself being pushed backward until she collapsed onto the queen’s plush bedding. Regina’s weight shifted them until she was positioned over Emma and she grabbed ahold of both of her wrists, pinning them above her head before dropping her head to plant a hard kiss on Emma’s chest below her collarbone.

She trailed her mouth upward, kissing along Emma’s jawline which she was holding in place with one hand. When Emma realized that Regina’s grip was on her face, she suddenly got confused as to why she still felt the weight of both her wrists being pinned down and she jerked back.

“Yes?” Regina asked with a small laugh.

Emma peered up and saw that both of her hands were cuffed again and restrained to the bed posts. “Huh—? How?”

“Magic, dear,” Regina said simply with another mocking laugh before gripping Emma’s jaw tighter and tilting her head to grant herself better access to the pale exposed skin that she was happily marking up with her mouth, teeth, and tongue.

Emma’s moans grew louder and her body felt deprived and more desperate than ever before as she wriggled under the weight of Regina on top of her.

“Someone’s needy,” the queen mocked, her mouth now trailing kisses down over Emma’s hip bone and back up to her chest. She brushed her tongue over a hardened nipple before taking it into her mouth and sucking on it, eliciting an audible moan and more wriggling from her prisoner. “But, I already told you,” she continued as she released Emma’s nipple from her mouth and began making a path to her other breast. “I plan to take my time with you, princess.”

Emma groaned in frustration, throwing her head back against the pillow and raising her hips, hoping to find some friction. Her core was aching, and she needed to be fucked.

“Please, your majesty.”

“Oh, you can beg all you’d like. I quite enjoy hearing it. But I’ll give you what you need when I’ve decided you’ve earned it.”

Her fingers traced lazy circles on Emma’s quivering inner thigh, until she suddenly realized there was a trail of wetness seeping down onto the silk bed sheets.

“You’re making quite a mess, you know,” she mocked as she let one lazy finger brush momentarily over Emma’s center. The second Emma gasped, she pulled it away. “You’re soaked, and all for me.”

Emma just nodded, her eyes squeezing shut in frustration as she yet again tried to pull at the restraints.

“Ah ah, don’t pull. You’ll only end up hurting yourself, dear. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to your beautiful body, would we?”

With the lack of control over her arms, Emma resorted to thrashing her legs up in attempt to try and— she wasn’t exactly sure of what she had hoped to accomplish, she just knew she needed Regina to touch her properly. Now. And begging wouldn’t work.

“Well, you’re a fool if you thought that would’ve achieved anything,” the queen teased, waiving her hand and causing Emma’s ankles to become cuffed and bound to each bedpost.

Emma found herself completely spread, hopelessly unable to move an inch, on the Evil Queen’s bed. But instead of being terrified, all she could think about was how badly she needed Regina inside of her.

“You look quite perfect like that,” Regina stated, amused. “All spread and ready for me with your cunt dripping all over my sheets.”

Emma felt a stinging building up behind her eyes and she realized she needed to cry from nothing but sheer frustration as the queen dipped her head down to plant a hard kiss on her inner thigh. She sucked once more until it turned into an angry purple mark that made her smirk with delight.

Finally, the queen allowed Emma the satisfaction of sweeping one single finger over her folds. As she did so, both of them moaned.

“Such a good princess, all wet and ready for me.”

Emma nodded, tears of relief finally springing from her green eyes. “Please.”

Regina continued dragging her finger up and down, not daring to do anything more than enjoy the way Emma’s silky arousal felt on her fingertip.

“Please —”

“Is this what you need?” Regina said smugly, biting down on her bottom lip as she started lightly circling Emma’s clit. Emma’s moans gave her the answer she was looking for.

Suddenly, she withdrew her hand completely, resting it on Emma’s inner thigh and stroking it gently. She laughed in delight at the whimpering and sobs coming out of Emma’s parted lips.

“No. Please. Please. I’ll do anything.”

“I told you, princess: you can beg all you’d like. I’ll decide when I’m ready to fuck you properly.”

Emma wanted to curse, to scream, to cry — anything to let out some of this frustration. But she knew that would only prolong the queen’s torture further, and she didn’t take to risk that happening. Instead, she bit her bottom lip, trying hard to hold back her sobs of frustration.

She tried to roll her head to one side to bury it into the pillow and wipe away the tears that had fallen, but that just made the queen laugh even harder.

“You’re doing quite well considering you have yet to curse at me or try to fight.”

“I —” Emma began, still struggling to form coherent sentences through her impatience. “I didn’t want to risk you stopping if I cursed at you.”

“Oh, believe me, princess. Nothing in this world could stop me now.”

And with that, she dropped her head between Emma’s thighs, determined to soak up every drop of arousal seeping out of the blonde. The second she tasted Emma on her tongue, she knew it was the greatest thing she had ever tasted. In fact, she might never be able to stop drinking it up.

As if the taste of Emma wasn’t enough to make the night worth it, the sounds she made certainly solidified the fact that she never wanted to forget this woman.

She quickly slipped two fingers inside her cunt, feeling it tighten around her as if Emma were afraid she’d pull away. Instead of doing so, she added a third finger and slowly corkscrewed her hand, relishing the way Emma’s body was reacting.

As Emma’s hips began to lift off the bed, Regina used her free hand to pin her down. She kept working her mouth over her clit, circling it with firm pressure as Emma’s moans began to escalate.

“More, please. I’m going to come,” Emma managed to pant.

Regina slipped in a fourth finger, watching in amusement as Emma’s pussy took it with ease.

“Such a greedy little princess. I bet you’d let me do anything I wanted to you right now, wouldn’t you?”

The feel of Regina’s words vibrating against her clit sent Emma over the edge. Her hips bucked up once more, and her legs felt like they were about to snap out of the restraints as she tried to clench her thighs together.

Her orgasm was long and intense, but Regina never slowed her movements as she let the blonde ride out the wave of pleasure. When Emma finally gasped and started trying to wriggle away from Regina, the queen backed off and climbed up to unfasten her wrists, leaving her ankles still in the cuffs.

“You look so beautiful when you come, princess,” she said as she placed a delicate kiss on the top of her head. As she pulled back, she stroked her cheek, gently wiping away the traces of smudged mascara.

Emma brought her hands down and tried to pull the queen closer, needing to be as near as possible.

At that moment, she didn’t care about getting home – she didn’t care about altering the past. For all she cared, she could stay there and be the Evil Queen’s personal sex slave and she’d be happy. And right then, she needed to kiss Regina Mills more than anything.

Regina saw the need in her eyes – the way she was slowly licking her lips and staring devotedly back at her. She could feel Emma’s heart racing, and it only made hers beat in tandem. In that moment, she knew what Emma wanted and she, to her own surprise, wanted it, too.

She leaned in, placing a soft kiss on Emma’s mouth. As soon as their lips touched, something inside of her felt like it had turned on for the first time.

She brushed her tongue over Emma’s parted lips before dipping it inside. Emma must have felt it too, because she let out a gasp and pulled them apart.

But when the queen looked at Emma, she realized she wasn’t gasping because of the kiss. Her cuffed ankles managed to unfasten themselves, and both women turned to see a glowing portal beside the bed.

Regina sat up, the confusion evident on her face. She brought her fingertips to her lips and brushed over them, wondering if she had used her magic without realizing. “What the—?”

Before Emma could question what had happened, she hopped off the bed. She was still undressed, but this could be her only chance to get back home and she wasn’t going to waste it.

“Goodbye, Regina,” she said softly, a look of desolation and remorse splayed across her face. “I’ll… see you soon.”

And before Regina could utter a single word, the portal closed, leaving the Evil Queen alone in her bedroom with nothing but a feeling of sheer bewilderment and the lingering presence of the princess who had left her behind.


	3. Chapter 3

Once Emma had tumbled to the ground, she peered down and sighed a breath of relief seeing she was properly clad in the jeans, boots, and sweater she had been wearing when she first went through the portal.

She brushed the earth from her knees and looked back in the direction of where the portal had just been only a few brief moments ago. It had vanished.

A wave of sadness washed over her. Thoughts of the woman she’d left behind flooded her mind, but then she realized – she was back in Storybrooke. In the present. Where everything could have changed.

_Did Regina still cast the curse?_ She thought at first, but then quickly dismissed that. Of course she had, otherwise she wouldn't be here. Emma groaned.

But the night they had spent together must have changed something… right? The dread that always ensued from the unknown loomed over her.

She crouched down to find her cell phone that managed to tumble across the dirt a few feet away. The screen illuminated, informing her it was only 6:42 pm. Mere minutes had passed, yet for her it felt like days.

“There you are,” David said between huffed breaths, his back hunched over as he rested his hands on his quads to steady his breathing. “Why'd you run off without backup? Your mother would've killed me if something had happened to you.”

Emma had never been so happy to see her father, and she ran over to him and wrapped him in her tight embrace. When she was in the past, she tried her best not to dwell on the possibility that she may never see her family again, but here she was. Safely back home.

“Sweetie, are you okay?”

“Yeah, Dad. Everything is okay!” She decided not to bother mentioning the time travel as it would only worry him. “There was a portal, but I was able to get rid of it, no big deal. Let's get back to Granny’s.”

As they walked back into the diner, she beamed at the sight of her mother and Henry still sitting in the booth as if nothing had ever happened. Seeing them safe and smiling back at her filled her with a light airiness.

But that quickly faded when she heard the door swinging open once again.

She pivoted to catch a glimpse of whoever was walking in, and when she spotted Regina, her face beaming in bliss – her cheeks flushed with a natural warm blush pink as she brushed a stray hair away from her face – Emma felt dizzy.

Regina had her hand intertwined with Robin’s as they sat down at a booth. He swiftly leaned over to kiss her.

A wave of nausea bubbled up in Emma's chest but — as if she were driving past a car wreck — she couldn't turn her head and look away.

She studied them, irritated that they were so consumed in each other’s presence to even realize anyone else was in the diner. Robin whispered something in Regina's ear that made her giggle like a child, and Emma held her breath to try and suppress a scream.

“Ma, are you okay?”

The sound of Henry’s voice calling out to Emma caused both Emma and Regina to snap their heads in the direction of his voice.

“Oh, hello, Henry, Emma!” Regina’s voice was so sickeningly sweet, it made Emma’s vision blur as it echoed through her ears. Just hours ago, she had been with the Evil Queen; the apparent differences between that woman and the woman speaking to her right here in the diner was making her stomach churn with each moment that passed.

“Ma?” Henry repeated, but Emma was already walking toward Regina’s booth.

“Emma?” Regina began. “Are you alright, dear?”

Emma crouched down until she was level with a seated Regina. Their eyes met as if for the first time, and Emma stared into those chocolate orbs like she was searching for something — anything — that might indicate that Regina remembered her.

“Miss Swan, what on Earth are you doing?”

The cold, impersonal name made Emma’s teeth hurt.

“Don't do that,” she snapped, causing Regina to jerk her head back in response. “Don't you dare ‘Miss Swan’ me right now, _y__our __majesty_.”

She spit out the title like it tasted wrong in her tongue. _All_ of this felt wrong. She had to get out.

Before anyone could step in, Emma stood and ran out of the diner, the door slamming shut behind her as she sprinted in the direction of her house.

She felt her cell phone vibrating as she ran, but she didn't slow her pace until she made it to the front steps and pushed her way in. She whipped her phone from her back pocket, seeing a missed call from both parents, a text from Henry, and a text from Regina.

She slowly unlocked her phone, her body sliding down to the floor because standing felt like too much for her right then.

She anticipated coming back to Storybrooke and something changing. What? She wasn't sure. She was so worried that everything would spiral because of her night with the queen, but this? This reality that absolutely nothing was any different was far worse than anything she could have feared.

Because, for the first time in as long as she could remember, she craved something — _someone_ — again. As if Regina was the missing piece to the puzzle all along. Only, she wasn't. She was just the mayor, and Emma was a fool for thinking one night together could have meant anything to someone like Regina.

Peering down at the phone in a second attempt, she tapped on Henry’s text.

_You OK? Why did you confront mom like that? Call me when you see this. Worried about you._

She sighed, making a mental note to answer him as soon as she could. She didn't want to worry him, but she also knew she wouldn't be able to explain this. Not without the entire town finding out she traveled back in time and slept with the Evil Queen.

Next, she clicked Regina's text and held her breath.

_What the hell was that about? You have everyone worried sick, you know._

That was certainly not the message she’d hoped to receive. Nothing about this settled well with her and she was suddenly desperate for a drink.

She stared at the message again, re-reading it in the hope that she'd find a hidden code or secret message lying beneath the surface that screamed,_ I remember. I could never forget you._

But she didn't. There was no secret code. No hidden message. Just a snarky text message and nobody to blame but herself.

She picked up the phone and chucked it into the wall, watching it crash to the floor with more resilience than she had as she dragged herself into the kitchen and poured herself a shot of whiskey. She downed it immediately, waiting as the warm liquid did its best to settle her amplified nerves.

She suddenly realized she couldn't remember the last time she had a bite to eat, but with everything going on, the mere thought of trying to chew and swallow anything was making her gag.

After another six shots, the room began to spin, and she wasn't sure if it was a result of the liquor or of the image of Regina and Robin in the diner together permanently playing on a loop inside her brain.

Either way, she sprinted toward the bathroom, quickly gathering her hair back with one hand as the other clutched to the rim of the toilet bowl. After she had emptied the contents of her stomach, she collapsed onto the floor and curled up into a ball, sobbing until sleep overcame her.

**** 

The sound of someone pounding on her front door startled Emma out of her sleep. For a second, she wasn't sure if the noise was actually from the door or just the inside of her head thumping in agony.

She slowly opened her eyes, feeling clumps of dried mascara sticking to her upper and lower lash line that made it hard for her eyes to fully open. She realized — mainly from the kink in her neck — that she had passed out the previous evening on the cold bathroom tile and managed to remain there for the duration of the night.

The pounding on the door started again and she sat up, holding her aching head with one hand. Clutching the edge of the bathroom vanity with the other, she managed to help herself up.

The reflection staring back at her was one she barely recognized, like the ghost of someone she once knew years ago. Black shadows rimmed her eyes – not just from smeared mascara but from dark circles that made her look ill. Her complexion was pale, her hair was a tangled wreck, and her lips were dry and cracked. It suddenly dawned on her that she hadn’t even taken a sip of water since before she went through the portal.

She popped two aspirin into her mouth and headed toward the kitchen for a proper glass of water before she remembered someone was still banging on the door.

She chugged the water and then peered through the peephole, seeing both her father and Henry on the other side. She opened the door with a groan.

“How long have you been standing here?” She asked, squinting against the sunlight that was burning her tender eyes.

“A while,” Henry confessed, not bothering to sugar coat it to his mother. “But we brought you breakfast and some hot chocolate. Figured you might appreciate it.”

She gestured for them to come in, and immediately regretted it when she realized the bottle of whiskey and the sticky shot glass were lying on the kitchen countertop. She looked down, realizing she was in the same clothes she’d been wearing for what felt like days now.

“Sorry about the mess,” she said quickly, knowing she didn’t need to apologize to her dad or son, but felt a bit of remorse for allowing them to see her this way.

“Don’t worry about that, Emma,” David began. “We came because we were concerned about you. You stormed out so quickly and nobody was able to reach you. None of us can figure out what provoked your reaction in the first place.”

Emma took a deep breath, knowing she had to think of something to excuse her behavior. She looked at Henry, then at David, before opening her mouth and letting the first thing that came to mind flow freely.

“I had this really weird dream the other night… and it involved Regina. I guess it must have really gotten to me because when I saw her at the diner, something inside me just flicked on like a switch and that’s why I confronted her. I know it sounds ridiculous, and I realize I completely overreacted.”

“Ma, why didn’t you just say that? And what was the dream about that it was able to get under your skin so badly?”

Emma swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. She reached out to take a sip of the hot chocolate they had brought her.

“I’m not really sure I remember the details,” she lied. “I just remember waking up angry, so when I saw her, it just ticked me off, I suppose.” She paused before speaking again, her voice suddenly softer. “Was Regina okay after I left?”

“She was fine. A little irritated, but nothing out of the ordinary. You should probably stop by and see her though and explain what happened,” Henry encouraged.

“Right,” Emma stated flatly. “Maybe.”

“Do you want us to leave you alone so you can get showered and clean up around here a bit? I can cover your shift today if you need me to,” David offered.

Emma cursed inwardly. She completely forgot about work and anything to do with her life back in Storybrooke. The entire time in the Enchanted Forest, she’d been far too worried about how much things would have changed upon her return and how she’d have to deal with the aftermath.

Now that nothing had altered, she only felt frustrated.

“No, Dad, it’s okay. I might just be a little late. Give me an hour.”

They said their goodbyes and she quickly washed up the shot glass and put away the open bottle of whiskey before going upstairs to rinse off. She hoped a shower and a normal day back in Storybrooke would make things feel like nothing had happened — although she knew deep down that she didn’t want that at all.

****

Regina sat down at her desk and picked up her phone, wondering if she should try texting Emma once more.

Something wasn’t sitting right with her ever since Emma looked at her the day before, just prior to her grand exit out of the diner. The way Emma’s eyes were gleaming at her as if full of agony and indignation all at once — it didn’t make any sense.

And as if that wasn’t confusing enough, she was uncertain why Emma looked at Robin as if she suddenly resented him. Hell, she had barely been able to look at him without gritting her teeth and snapping her head back in Regina’s direction, like she wished she could will him away.

A knock on her office door startled her out of her trance.

Deep down, a small sliver of hope inside of her had thought there was a chance Emma would walk into her office today and explain what was going on. However, what she couldn’t quite figure out was why she had been hoping to see Emma so eagerly ever since the run-in at Granny’s.

They’ve had plenty of quarrels in the past – some much grander and more public than their encounter last night, but this time it was different. Something inside of her wanted Emma to come back and explain it to her.

Instead, Rumplestiltskin pushed open the door. Regina couldn’t help but groan.

“Not today, Gold. It’s been a rough morning.”

The imp laughed as he hobbled over, his entire weight on his cane. “Something tells me you’ll be happy to hear what I’ve got to say to you.”

“Doubtful, but try me,” Regina served in return, not bothering to look up at him.

He walked the distance over to her desk and placed down a small glass vial in front of her.

“What the hell is that supposed to be?” Regina questioned, one eyebrow raised, more out of annoyance than frustration.

“A memory potion, dearie. One that I’ve been holding on to for what feels like an eternity. And,” he paused, waiting for Regina’s gaze to finally lock on his. “Maybe even the key to your happiness.”

She couldn’t help but choke out a laugh. “You think that a potion contains the key to my happiness? Please,” she huffed. “In case you haven’t noticed, I _am_ happy. I have Robin and I’ve never felt better.”

“You think that man is your happy ending? Regina, you can’t lie to yourself – or to me, for that matter. I’ve known you for a very long time.”

“Are you trying to say I’m not happy?”

“No, no, that’s not what I’m saying. I can see that you’re happy, I suppose. But that doesn’t mean Robin is the one you’re meant to be with.”

“Okay, Gold, enough with the riddles. Either cut to the chase and tell me what you’re clearly dying to say or leave my office.”

“Regina,” he began. “Do you remember when I first approached you about the dark curse?”

“Of course I do,” she admitted, still averting her gaze as if she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of her undivided attention.

“And do you remember the night I came to your castle and gave you a potion and told you it was imperative that you take it in order for the curse to be successful?”

“Vaguely,” she said. She was lying, though – she remembered it all. Just like that, her mind was pulling her back to that night.

****

** _Enchanted Forest, Months Before the Dark Curse_ **

The Evil Queen sat perched on the balcony, but she wasn’t looking out at the sky. Instead, she stared inward – peering at her bedroom from a distance. The princess who had left her only weeks ago still haunted her.

_Who was this woman? Where did she go? Why didn’t she stay?_

“Of course she didn’t stay,” Regina huffed out loud for nobody to hear. “Stop being so pathetic.”

But the questions still haunted her – of where she ran off to and who she was, and why did she mean so much to the queen when she had everything she wanted.

In a few months, Regina would have everything she needed to cast the dark curse: to put her happiness first; to end her suffering; to ruin Snow White’s happiness.

But the memory of the princess still lingered, even in her dreams, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever figure out why she felt so deeply for her when she didn’t know anything more than her name.

“Well, you knew more than that,” she said to herself once more.

Her memory deviated again. She remembered the way Emma had smiled, the way those blonde curls framed her face. The look of fear and excitement in her eyes wherever she peered up at the queen. The way she, unlike so many others, didn’t seem to truly fear her. She remembered the way she smelled, the way she tasted, and the sounds she made as she came undone.

The sound of an impish laugh snapped her out of her daydream, and she stood to her feet in an instant.

“Hello, dearie.”

Regina groaned. “What do you want, Rumple? I’m exhausted.”

“It’ll just be a brief visit, don’t worry. I came to give you this.” He set a vial down on her vanity, and she eyed it with instant suspicion.

“What is that?”

“It’s a potion. It’s not going to do any harm, but it’s vital for your curse to work.”

“What type of potion, exactly?” She raised an eyebrow, acting unamused, but taking a few steps closer. She opened it and took a whiff.

“It’s a memory potion. Nothing major. It will just ensure that when your curse is enacted, nobody will remember who they are.”

“I thought the curse already would wipe everyone’s memories and give them new identities? Aside from my own of course."

“Like I said, dearie, it’s just for reassurance. Call it… plan B.”

Regina rolled her eyes, but lifted the vial to her lips, tossing it back until there wasn’t a single drop left.

****

Regina eyed the vial on her desk that Gold set down.

“So, you’re telling me that this potion here has something to do with my happiness?” She questioned once more.

“Precisely.”

“You told me when you gave it to me that it was reassurance,” she paused. “A back-up plan if you will.”

“I may have stretched the truth a little,” he said flatly, not bothering to apologize. “I needed you to forget a certain memory in order to avoid your curse going wrong further down the road. But now, I think it’s time you finally got it back.”

He didn’t say another word – he just simply walked out of her office and let the door close behind him. Regina didn’t bother to look up. Her eyes were still fixed on the vial that was glowing a radiant sheen of violet.

“Curse you, Rumple,” she murmured under her breath, reaching for the potion.

As the liquid flowed down her throat, her eyes widened, and she slammed the vial down as her head began to ache.

The image of long blonde curls, a red satin ball gown, radiant green eyes, a submissive princess down on her knees, the curve of her breasts, the way she tasted… it all came back. And then it hit her.

“**_Emma_**.”

****

Emma was thankful her day at the station was quiet, and to her surprise, she was glad she got out of her house and came to work. It was certainly a better use of her time.

Regina lingered in her mind since the moment she woke up on the bathroom floor, and Emma had begun to suspect that the dull ache in her head was a result of frustration rather than the shots from the previous night.

Suddenly, a realization washed over her. Maybe it wasn’t that Regina didn’t remember the night they spent together – maybe they had a conversation about it years ago when she first came to Storybrooke and they had both acknowledged it and moved on.

No, she refused to believe that.

One, because she would have recollection of that discussion if that were true. And two, because deep down, she knew that if Regina remembered their night together, she wouldn’t be with Robin right now.

“Hey, Dad. Mind if I head out? I’m not feeling great.”

“You’re the sheriff, sweetie. You make the rules.” He laughed and said goodbye as she decided to head straight home.

When she walked in, she plopped down on the couch, letting her misery overtake her as she decided to order a pizza and watch a movie.

She poured a glass of Jack and Coke while she waited for the food to arrive, but quickly found herself pouring a second glass before the doorbell even rang.

****

“Regina, darling, are you coming to bed?” Robin asked as he walked into her study, where she was hunched over a stack of paperwork. Her eyes were staring so intently that Robin swore she was about to burn a hole right through them.

“Hmm?” She looked up, the sound of his voice snapping her out of her trance, then peered at the clock. “Oh, right. Yes, let me just wrap up what I’m doing. Don’t wait up for me.”

He shook his head, but left it alone, knowing that further pressing the topic wouldn’t end well for him.

Regina reached out and took another large gulp from her glass of wine, the crimson, velvety liquid warming her but doing nothing to soothe the ache in her body.

She wanted nothing more than to confront Emma, but what would that accomplish? She needed to figure out how the hell it was even possible for that princess to have been the same Emma Swan.

When it came down to it, logic told her that it simply was not possible. It had to have been someone else. But she knew it wasn’t. She could never forget now.

She took another large sip, realizing that her buzz was quickly overtaking her, and she closed her eyes, thinking back to that night.

The face, the hair, the mannerisms. It was Emma. She’d be willing to bet her life on it. But it was also 30 years ago – Emma wouldn’t have been born yet. Maybe it had been a dream, or a premonition.

A new thought dawned on her: maybe it wasn’t a memory, but a glimpse into the future.

“No,” she said out loud. “I was in my castle. I was the Evil Queen. I remember it all.”

Her biggest question looming over her head now was Robin. How could she be with him when she remembered the way she felt about that night with Emma?

Rumple had made himself clear. The potion was the key to her happiness. But Regina couldn’t begin to understand how that made sense. God, none of this made sense.

Her head was pounding, and she wanted so badly to just go upstairs and get some rest. But that meant facing Robin. She simply couldn’t do that. Not yet, at least.

Instead, she slipped on a pair of flats and decided to get some air.


	4. Chapter 4

The brisk night air stung Regina's exposed skin, and she crossed her arms across her chest in a desperate attempt to prevent any more heat from escaping.

She walked along the sidewalk with no destination in mind, but wasn't surprised when she ended up outside of Emma’s house, peering up at the front door.

She considered knocking. It was nearly midnight, but there was a chance that Emma was still awake and able to talk.

The vision of the blonde sprawled out on the sofa suddenly came to the front of her mind. She wasn’t sure why, but it made her feel a newfound sense of serenity.

But after taking one step forward, she froze.

What if Emma sent her away at the mere sight of her at the door? Was she still upset? What caused the reaction at the diner the other evening? And, over and over again – how was it even possible that the princess from that night was Emma?

She had so many questions, but she wasn't sure if confronting Emma about them would help provide the answers. Given their history, Emma would probably kick Regina out, and she’d spend the duration of the night alone, confused and dispirited.

She kept walking, realizing that she craved a drink. She also knew she needed to talk to Robin – to put an end to their relationship. It wasn't right to stay with him when she now knew the truth. But how could she do that to him without a proper explanation? Surely she couldn’t tell him that she got a memory back in the form of a potion from Rumple and suddenly realized she had feelings for Emma.

But _were_ her feelings sudden? Maybe they were always there, but the memory of that night just validated the way she had felt since the moment the blonde came to town over two years ago.

She found herself outside of the Rabbit Hole, desperate for a drink that would soothe the splitting headache and temporarily numb the vibrating thoughts in her head.

The buzzing of the crowd overwhelmed her as soon as she pushed open the door. She scanned the room to find an open spot, but before she could, she spotted something that made her stomach plunge.

Emma was sitting at the bar with Ruby beside her, both tossing back a shot. Regina couldn't help but let her gaze linger for a few more moments as memories of their past came flooding back – not just the memory of their night spent together, but the moments in Storybrooke that she never realized had meant so much to her.

From the time Henry was trapped in the mines and Emma risked her life to bring him back, to the time when Emma defended Regina’s honor when nobody else believed her or could see the good in her, to their days spent wandering around Neverland in search of their son…

How had she not realized it sooner: her happiness was right there in front of her all along.

Did Emma see it as well?

Emma must have felt someone’s gaze on her, though. Because before Regina could try and look away, they locked eyes across the bar. Regina saw a look that wasn't full of joy – it was full of betrayal.

She couldn't move. She could barely swallow. She just stood frozen in place until Emma turned away. The second she did, Regina bolted for the door.

****

If the sudden paleness that washed over Emma’s face wasn’t enough to alarm Ruby, it was the accompanied groan that forced Ruby to snap her gaze in the spot where Emma’s eyes had just retreated from.

“Why do you look like you just saw a ghost? What are you staring at?” Ruby asked, tilting her head to one side and lifting her chin, trying to get a better look at the room.

“She is _infuriating_,” Emma huffed.

“Who is?”

“Regina.”

“Regina? Regina Mills? At the Rabbit Hole? Em, you must be hallucinating,” Ruby laughed. “She’s not here – she’d never come here. And what’s the big deal anyway? I thought you two had been getting along fine now?”

Emma remained silent as Ruby kept rambling on with a game of 20 questions.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on and why you were such a grump all day at work? This was supposed to be a fun evening to distract you from whatever the hell is going on, but now you’re being weird. Spill.”

Ruby was right – she had agreed to go out for drinks after storming out of her shift early. Ruby called her and insisted that whatever was on her mind wasn’t worth dwelling on and she needed to have a fun night out, but now Emma was ruining it.

“I’m sorry, Rubes. It’s just…” she began, but cut herself off as her gaze shifted once more to the spot where she could have sworn she had seen Regina standing just moments earlier.

Maybe she had drunk more than she realized. Regina wouldn’t be at the bar.

In fact, if Regina cared at all about Emma, or had any recollection of that night they spent together, she would have reacted differently when Emma approached her at Granny’s rather than just staring at her in bewilderment.

But she didn’t. She had Robin. And here Emma was, getting drunk off of one too many whiskey shots, trying to drown her sorrows over a woman she’d shared one night with.

“Earth to Emma, hello? Are you going to tell me what’s going on or do you want me to sit here and guess?”

Ruby’s voice helped snap her out of her trance, and she offered her an apologetic smile. “Right, sorry.”

“Well?”

“This is going to sound ridiculous,” Emma sighed, unsure where to begin or how much to disclose.

“You’re talking to a wolf who has had her own fair share of ridiculousness. Besides, everything in this town is always nuts.” She rested her elbow on the bar counter and leaned her cheek against the palm of her hand, lifting her gaze to face Emma directly. “Try me.”

Emma ran her hand through her blonde hair, suddenly feeling a tension in her neck. “Remember that beam of light the other day?”

“Yeah, you went and took care of it and told everyone it was nothing,” Ruby said, nodding.

“It was a portal.”

“A portal? How do you know?”

“Because I was pulled through it,” Emma sighed.

Ruby’s eyes widened. “Where did it take you? How did nobody know about this?”

“One question at a time. It took me to the Enchanted Forest. But,” she paused, her lips curling downward. “Not in the present day.”

“Wait. What?”

“It was a time portal. It took me back 30 years. I— um. I ended up running into Regina.”

“You mean… the Evil Queen?” Ruby said slowly.

Emma nodded, unsure what to say next.

“What? How are you even alive? How did you get back?”

“Well, that's where it gets complicated,” she rubbed at the back of her neck, her eyes glancing away as she opened her mouth. “I sort of… ended up in her bed.”

Ruby nearly knocked over her drink. “Woah. _Excuse me_?”

“I was trying to find my way back and ended up being taken prisoner. Only, she didn't want to kill me. She, um… she wanted to sleep with me. And she did.”

Ruby didn't say a word. For the first time, she might have been rendered speechless, so Emma continued.

“And we, well… we spent the night together and – god, this must all sound insane. When we kissed, it opened a portal that took me back.”

“Emma Swan, you didn’t!” She nearly jumped off of her bar stool. “You slept with **_the_** Evil Queen and the two of you made a portal open with your magic. I _knew_ it!” She was practically squealing.

“Well, I got back and barely any time had passed so I acted like it didn't happen. Wait—” she paused in her tracks. “What do you mean you knew it?”

She squinted, trying to scan Ruby's green eyes to get an understanding of what she was implying.

“The two of you. You've always been nuts for each other,” Ruby laughed. “It's been so obvious. It just was never the right time because of the circumstances of you coming to town, her feeling threatened, a new danger in town…” she trailed off. “You know what I'm saying.”

Emma’s puzzled look was all the answer she needed, and Ruby continued.

“What I'm saying is that if the two of you had met under different circumstances, you would have hit it off right away. In any realm, you two belong together. This proves it. She met you without knowing who you were, and the _first_ thing she did was take you to her castle to spend the night with you.”

“Are you insane?”

“Emma,” Ruby reached out and grabbed her hand. “You do realize why that portal opened, right?”

“Because I have magic?”

“Don't be coy. You have magic here and you can't just produce a portal on command.”

“Okay, you've lost me, Rubes.”

“True love’s kiss.”

“What?” Emma asked, defensively. “Have you lost your mind?”

“No, but clearly you have. You of all people should know how hard it is to open a portal. Yet, it happened with just a simple kiss? Your magic **together** has always been more powerful than any other magic. You both moved the moon, for Christ's sake! You should know that true love is the only magic that's capable of that type of strength and power.”

Emma took a long gulp of her drink and looked back at Ruby. “It doesn't matter anyway,” her voice sounded small and unsteady.

“You need to go and talk to her, Em! It _does_ matter.”

“What good will that do? We slept together and yet, when I came back, she didn't even remember. I was just a random one-night stand from 30 years ago who means nothing to her and she didn't even know it was me.”

“Oh, stop being so self-depreciating all the time.”

“It meant nothing to her,” Emma insisted.

“Stop being an idiot. It was true love. It still is.”

“We aren't in love.”

“Then explain the portal!”

“I don't know, Ruby! But this was years ago for her, she doesn't remember it, so what good is it now? She’s moved on. She’s the mayor, she has Robin, and I’m… me.” She downed the rest of her drink and stood up.

“Em, wait,” Ruby reached out and grabbed her by the arm. “Your secret is safe with me, okay? But please, think about talking to her, okay? At least see what she remembers.”

Emma muttered a quick, apologetic thank you, but she already knew she needed to get out of the bar and get home. She felt sick and, yet again, she wasn’t sure she could blame the whiskey.

She sprinted home as quickly as her feet would allow, which proved to be a harder task than expected with the entire town spinning around her. But even with her hazy vision, as she passed the mayor’s home, she noticed that a light was still on.

A nauseating image appeared in her mind – flashes of intertwined legs and tangled bed sheets as Regina and Robin got lost in each other, resulting in them losing track of time and being awake at an ungodly hour in the middle of the night.

The mere thought of it was too much for Emma. She clutched her stomach, running toward the nearest bush to empty it of every drop of liquor from the past hour.

****

The sound of a buzzing alarm in the distance stirred Regina out of her sleep. As she woke, she realized she was on the sofa down in her living room, an empty glass of wine beside an emptied bottle still sitting on the coffee table.

“Regina?” She heard Robin call from the bedroom. She debated whether it would be better to pretend to be asleep or to hurry to the kitchen to make it seem like she had been up and making coffee.

She chose the latter, but soon realized she was still in the same dress she was wearing the day before.

“There you are,” he said as he walked in the room, sounding relieved. “You never came to bed last night?”

“I was up late finishing some work for the new budget proposal and didn’t want to wake you, so I slept on the couch and just came in the make us some coffee.” Regina delivered the excuse with ease as she filled his mug from the freshly brewed pot. “Sugar?”

Robin took the sugar from her and leaned in to kiss her forehead, but she pulled away, almost as if his presence would cause her pain and she didn’t want to visibly wince.

He noticed anyway.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing, dear,” Regina began. “I’m just not feeling too well.”

That part wasn’t a lie. Her head was still pounding, and she suddenly realized that what she desired was Emma’s presence beside her. But she’d never admit that out loud – she could barely even admit it to herself.

“I’m sure it’s nothing a little extra rest won’t fix,” he said with a smile. He was so hopeful, doing everything right, but Regina knew that as much as she hated to admit it, Rumple was right. Her happiness wasn’t with this man.

“You’re right. I’ll drop off these papers then head out early and get some rest.”

“You’re going to miss work? You _never_ miss work. Are you sure there’s nothing else bothering you?”

Regina swallowed and nodded slowly.

“Regina, you can talk to me? Please.”

“Nothing is wrong, okay?” She snapped, the irritation ringing in her voice. She tried again, more softly, “_Please – _can you just go?”

He frowned, but knew that arguing with Regina wouldn’t get him anywhere. Instead, he simply nodded and walked out.

She quickly fetched the wine glass from her coffee table, rinsing it out and setting it in the drying rack before dragging herself up the stairs and stripping out of her dress that she had been in for nearly 24 hours.

She opened her closet, suddenly wishing she owned a pair of Emma’s sweatpants that she could drown herself in. Instead, she slipped on a fresh pair of underwear and the only T-shirt she could find and crawled underneath the blanket, repulsed by the smell of Robin lingering on the sheets.

She forced her eyes shut, allowing her mind to trail back to Emma. Part of her wanted to grab her phone and call her, but she couldn’t. Emma was clearly not happy about the fact that they had spent a night together and that’s why she had reacted the way she did at the diner.

“She hates me,” she whispered, clutching her blanket tighter against her chest. Whether she truly believed that, she wasn’t sure. But she knew one thing was certain: she had true love all along, right here in Storybrooke, and part of her had always known it.


	5. Chapter 5

“Thought you might need this,” Ruby offered, holding out a greasy breakfast sandwich and a hot chocolate in a takeaway cup.

“You’re a life saver,” Emma muttered as she took the food from Ruby and placed the warm drink down on her desk at the office.

“David’s out patrolling?” Ruby asked. Emma nodded, her mouth already full of bacon, egg, and cheese. “How are you feeling?

Emma groaned, knowing Ruby would nag her after the way she left things the previous night. “Well, let’s just say I ended my night by puking into the bushes outside of the mayor’s mansion and running home in tears. So… not my finest moment.”

“Em, have you thought any more about talking to her?”

With a quick shake of her head, she indicated that she had no desire to discuss this any further. “God, my head is still killing me.”

“We probably shouldn’t have had that extra round of shots, huh?” Ruby laughed, unsure of how her own hangover had passed so soon.

David returned to the station minutes later, quickly saying hello before grabbing a stack of papers from his desk.

“What’s that, Dad?”

“I forgot to drop these at the mayor’s office. Regina is going to kill me.”

“Emma can take them!” Ruby chimed in eagerly.

The glare that Emma shot over in Ruby’s direction only made Ruby grin.

“That would be great, Emma. Would you mind?”

“Aren’t _you_ supposed to be patrolling today? Why do I have to go?” She groaned.

“Please, it would be a huge help.”

“Fine, fine. I’m going,” Emma muttered, pushing herself out of her chair and grabbing the papers from him. “But if I don’t return, it’s because Regina murdered me for delivering these a week late.”

She tried to laugh to lift her own spirits, but all she felt was an overwhelming sense of dread. Not because she didn’t want to see Regina – no, quite the opposite. It was because she knew she’d end up getting the same response as she got last time: sheer disregard.

She kicked the toe of her boot into the pavement, dragging her feet the whole way to the mayor’s office, only changing her demeanor when she was down the corridor and she knew there was a chance Regina would hear her footsteps approaching.

Straightening her spine and strengthening her step, she marched up to Regina’s assistant and waited for her presence to be noted.

“Good morning, Sheriff Swan. How can I help you today?” Regina’s receptionist greeted her with a wide smile that caught Emma off guard.

“I just have this budget proposal from the sheriff department to drop off. Is Regina in her office?” She took a step in the direction of the office she had entered many times before, but the receptionist stopped her.

“She’s actually out sick today, but I can take those for you and let her know you’ve dropped them off when she returns tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, um. Sure, yeah,” Emma stuttered, handing over the paperwork and watching as they were bound with a paperclip. “Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

“I don’t. I just got a call that she wouldn’t be in today and that she can be reached on her cell if there’s an emergency. Do you need any more assistance?”

“But… she's never missed a day of work. Not for as long as I can remember.” The concern in her tone was evident, but she didn’t care all that much.

“I was thinking the same thing,” the receptionist laughed. “But everyone deserves a day off sometimes.”

“Right, well,” Emma replied slowly. Her temples were throbbing again. “I’ll see you later. Thanks for the help.”

She didn’t wait for the woman to utter a goodbye before she sprinted out, a feeling in her stomach telling her that something wasn’t right.

Her phone vibrated, and she immediately thought of Regina, hoping to see her name appear on the screen as she pulled it from her back pocket.

Instead, a text from Ruby appeared on the lit screen.

_How are things going?_

She quickly replied. _She’s not here – home sick apparently?_

Within seconds, another text came through. _She’s never missed work. Maybe you should go over there._

Emma ignored the message, pushing her phone back into her back pocket before allowing her feet to carry her toward Regina’s house.

When the house came into view, the memory of last night flashed back into her mind. She was certain she’d seen Regina at the bar. But why would she have been there? Why did it feel like she was avoiding Emma the same way Emma was avoiding her?

****

“Miss Swan, look who _finally_ decided to come and have a chat with me,” Regina said as she opened her front door.

Emma’s hair was wild, and her eyes were wide. The sight of her nearly stopped Regina in her tracks.

“I didn’t come here to chat, Regina.”

“Then what _did_ you come here for?” Her voice was filled with bewilderment and she couldn’t help but notice that it seemed a bit shaky.

“You,” Emma uttered, immediately pushing her way in and pinning Regina up against the living room wall. Before Regina could say another word, Emma was capturing her lips with her own.

Regina didn’t even blink. Instead, her mouth eagerly returned the ferociousness of Emma’s lips on hers. She parted her lips and moaned at the feel of Emma’s silky tongue brushing against her own.

Regina could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she was dragged back to the way she felt all those years ago when Emma had kissed her for the first time.

“Emma,” she moaned into her mouth as her hands wandered down the blonde’s body, settling on her hips. “God, I’ve missed you.”

Emma pulled her mouth away, but her hands were seeking out the bottom of Regina’s shirt. She leaned in until her mouth was ghosting over Regina’s earlobe.

“I’ve missed you, too,” Emma whispered, her breath warm on Regina’s neck. “But do you want to know what I’ve really missed, your majesty?”

Suddenly unable to focus on forming any real words, Regina just moaned a simple, “Hmm?”

“Being slightly afraid of what you might do to me as you have me at your mercy,” Emma confessed, causing Regina to smirk and stand up straighter, rolling her shoulders back to regain her regal composure.

“Oh, darling,” she began, her voice airy as she flipped their bodies so that Emma was now pinned against the wall. “If you don’t think I’m just as capable of making you beg and cry as the Evil Queen was, you’ve vastly underestimated me.”

****

“I’ve brought you some soup.”

Robin’s voice jolted Regina awake. He was pushing open the door to her bedroom. “It’s in the kitchen downstairs, I didn’t think you’d want it up in the bedroom. How are you feeling?”

Regina felt drunk and exceedingly aroused. Her dream was still coiled around her like it was Emma pressing her up against the wall.

Her eyes opened slowly, taking in the blinding sunlight that was peeking in through the blinds, reminding her that it was the middle of the day and she’d fallen asleep longing for Emma and not the man in front of her.

Enough was enough.

“Robin, could you come sit? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Robin’s face fell, but he approached the bed slowly and sat at the edge. Regina forced herself into an upright position, her hand clutching her head quickly as the pain hit her like a speeding truck on an interstate.

“You know how happy you make me, right?” she began, unsure where she’d take this conversation. “And how much I care for you.”

“You’re worrying me, Regina. What’s going on?”

“There’s—there’s something I need to tell you. I owe it to you to be honest.”

“Okay…”

“I never believed in true love. Or in happy endings. I’m a villain, and villains don’t get happy endings.”

He tried to cut her off, but she continued.

“But I recently learned something about my past – something I’ve been struggling to come to terms with. And I realize now that I’ll never be able to give you the happiness you deserve. Not when my happiness has been lying with someone else all this time.”

“There’s somebody else?” Robin blinked.

“I think you always knew it, and this might not come as a surprise to you. But Emma and I—” she trailed off for a moment, suddenly wondering if she was making a mistake. For all she knew, Emma didn’t feel the same way she did.

But then she remembered all the days she had spent alone in her castle after Emma had disappeared through the portal. How she craved the princess’s return more than she ever thought she was capable of. How content she felt in her presence. How the night they shared, and all the memories of them in Storybrooke, had always meant more than either of them cared to admit.

“Emma and I have a complicated history together, to say the least,” she continued. Robin suddenly looked at her with understanding, and she froze. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I think I always knew this day would come,” he admitted. “I’ve seen you two together. I thought I was being foolish, but it turns out I should have trusted my gut.”

“You— you knew?" She blinked. "How?”

“The two of you have a fire that I’ve never witnessed before. The darkness and the light. She brings out something in you that nobody else could ever do.”

Regina smiled tentatively, realizing how considerate he was being. “I never wanted to hurt you, and you mean the world to me. But I’d never be able to live with myself if I stayed with you and didn’t confront Emma about all of this.”

He nodded once, then leaned in and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Is this why you’ve been distant?”

“Well, yes. I had a memory taken from me that I recently got back, and it has thrown me into a bit of a downward spiral because I’m not sure how to handle it.”

“You’ll figure it out — the two of you. I know you will.”

****

Emma made it to the front door, but for several minutes she just stood on the porch as she contemplated knocking.

She didn’t have a reason to be there – not even an excuse she could quickly think of if things didn’t go as planned – but she reached out nonetheless. Her knuckle froze an inch away from the door when she heard Robin’s voice inside.

“You need to talk to her,” he was saying.

Emma didn’t want to eavesdrop, but the curiosity dwelling inside her was too much for her to resist. She tried to listen carefully for Regina’s voice, but it was no use.

Either Regina’s voice was too high compared to Robin’s, or she was speaking softly, because she didn’t hear the response coming from her mouth – only a mumble. Emma could’ve sworn it sounded like she was crying.

“What the hell am I doing here?” she muttered under her breath, slowly backing off. She headed down the path before pushing open the gate and walking back toward her house instead.

****

When Robin left, Regina finally mustered the energy to shower and dress properly. She debated calling Emma and asking if she could come over, but given that they hadn’t spoken in days, and the way Emma had reacted last time they were face to face, she decided it wouldn’t be appropriate.

Instead, she sent her a simple text message, figuring that would be a safer approach in case Emma wasn’t ready to speak to her just yet.

_Emma, I know you’ve been ignoring me. I’d like to talk to you about what’s going on. Dinner tonight at my place? Maybe we can work things out?_

She waited nearly an hour, picking up her phone every five minutes to see if she received a new text and just hadn’t heard the chime of the incoming message. But the screen stared sullenly back at her, blank.

She paced her foyer hours later, wondering if she should go to Emma’s house. But she didn’t want to make her feel trapped – she wanted Emma to come to her willingly.

Part of her hoped Emma would show, and she wondered if she should start making dinner just in case. She decided on a baked ziti, figuring that if she made enough for two and Emma didn’t turn up, it would reheat well for her lunch the next day.

Cooking helped the time pass, but she found herself opening a bottle of Cabernet and taking a few sips to ease her increasing nerves.

****

Emma looked down at her phone once more, reading the message again for the fourteenth time in the past two hours. What did Regina mean when she said she wanted to talk about what was going on?

Finally, she caved. Grabbing her jacket and climbing into her Bug, she drove over to Regina’s house as quickly as physically possible.

She wished she had downed a quick drink before agreeing to this, but it was too late to turn back now. She needed answers like she needed air.

****

As Regina took the ziti out of the oven, she heard a knock at the door. Suddenly, she felt her chest tighten.

As soon as she opened the door, the words came whispering out. “You came.”

Emma looked angry. Well, maybe angry wasn’t the right word – more like irritated. Her eyes, though, told Regina that she desperately craved sleep and had spent hours crying.

“You invited me,” Emma said simply, trying to remain calm and not let her emotions get the best of her.

“Well, you’ve been ignoring me all week, and the last time I saw you, you were yelling in my face and then running out the door. I haven’t heard from you since.”

“I haven’t been ignoring you.”

“Emma,” Regina’s voice softened. “Please don’t lie to me. I want to be honest with you. _Please_.”

The vulnerability in Regina’s tone was alarming, and it made something inside of Emma yearn to reach out and grab her. Instead, she just nodded.

“Does your distance have anything to do with the night we spent together all those years ago?”

Regina didn’t beat around the bush. Emma’s mouth fell agape as soon as the words registered in her brain.

“You—? You remember?”

“I’ve been struggling all week to figure out how it was possible, but I know that princess was you. I could never forget.”

“If that’s true, then why didn’t you say anything sooner? Why did you look at me like I was insane when I approached you at the diner?” Emma was getting defensive, her hands clenched into a tight fist. “You made me feel like an idiot, like I meant nothing to you.”

“Emma, I didn’t know right away. Rumple – he gave me a potion a few days after you went through that portal years ago.”

“He—? He _what_?”

“He told me it was imperative to successfully casting my dark curse, and I didn’t bother questioning him further. But he recently returned the memory to me. And I haven’t been able to get you off of my mind since.”

“You know where I live. You have my number. Why didn’t you reach out?”

“I tried!” It was Regina’s turn to get defensive. She stood up taller, hoping that fixing her posture would somehow make her feel bigger in such a vulnerable state. “I came to find you, and then I saw you at the Rabbit Hole. I… I panicked. I’ve been trying to deal with all of this myself. How is it even possible for that princess to have been you? It was nearly 30 years ago.”

“I was pulled through a time portal that day the beaming light was spotted across town. I didn’t see any use in telling anyone because when I returned, I assumed everything would be different. Between you and me, mainly. But then I realized barely any time had passed, and it wasn’t. Nothing changed.”

“Emma,” Regina began. “_Everything_ changed.”

“It did?” Emma’s voice was shrill, cutting through the air like ice.

“Having that piece of knowledge about the time portal would have been a tremendous help, considering I’ve been missing a giant piece of the puzzle all week as I’ve dealt with trying to understand this.” She laughed, unable to contain her sarcastic tone.

After a beat, she reached out and placed her hand over Emma’s, slowly dragging her thumb back and forth over her pale skin.

Emma looked hopefully back at her. “You really remember me, after all these years?”

“Emma,” Regina's voice softened as she reached up to stroke her cheek. She felt a fire underneath her fingertips the second her skin met Emma’s. “True love’s kiss? How could I ever forget?”

“I guess that explained why our magic was always stronger together,” Emma smiled, leaning in to Regina’s delicate touch, only realizing then how desperately she needed it.

“I always knew there was something between us. I think both of us always knew. From the first day you arrived in Storybrooke, I felt it. I felt it when you touched me and you triggered my magic; I felt it in those times we had spent trying so hard to one-up the other. I felt it when we moved the moon, and I felt in in Neverland so many times. It just makes sense.”

“It always made sense, Regina. We were just too stubborn to admit it.”

Regina laughed, hating to admit that she was right. Emma’s face lit up at her tone, and she automatically pushed her cheek more firmly into Emma’s palm.

“In every realm, in every time period, no matter what we are up against – you are my happiness, Emma Swan.”

Emma nodded. She desperately wanted to fall into this, letting her entire body go as Regina enveloped it, but there was one thing holding her back.

“And… Robin?”

For a terrible second, Regina almost replied, “Who?”

Instead, she shook her head with relief. “He knows. He’s gone.”

“He’s _gone_?”

“He said he already suspected. He said… we had a fire.”

Relief sunk through Emma’s bones like water into earth. “A fire. We kind of do, don’t we?”

Regina reached out to grab hold of her hand, feeling a stray tear trail down her cheek as she moved. The second she saw it, Emma reached up to brush it away with the pad of her thumb.

Before either of them could utter another word, Regina leaned forward, her hand seeking the back of Emma’s neck before she kissed her for the first time in years. It still came so naturally to her.

Emma moaned at the feel of Regina’s mouth on hers. For her, it had only been days, and yet she was only just realizing how badly she missed the way her body reacted to Regina’s kiss.

When they broke apart, they both smiled. Chocolate-brown eyes locked on the forest of green that Regina wanted to spend the rest of her life getting lost in.

****

**THE END**


End file.
